Capital Punishment :: essays research papers

There are five basic reasons that society uses when imposing the â€Å"punishment† that I’ve been able to conclude from my readings. I will discuss these societal concepts and show that the death penalty does not serve to further them. Deterrence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Deterrence is basically defined as â€Å"the punishment should fit the crime.† Under this concept, the individual committing the crime and society are prevented from committing this action again. In the case of the death penalty, an individual kills another human and he is â€Å"punished† for it by death. Punishment is supposed to be a temporary penalization for a wrongful action. Death is far from temporary. One is to learn from one’s mistakes. How can the person learn if they are paying for their mistakes with their life? By imposing the death penalty the individual does not learn from their mistakes and neither does society. Economy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Under this concept, punishment should be economical. There are specific costs associated with keeping an inmate on death row such as specially built prison blocks, the need for maximum security, and costing the courts much money through many, many appeals. These costs clearly out weigh the regualr costs incurred to house a regular inmate. Deterrence is clearly not served by imposing the death penalty. Restitution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Society demands that the punishment should fix the harm it has done. By sentencing a person to death no harm has been fixed. You can not bring the murdered person back by taking the prisoner’s life. Punishment is not intended to revenge, offset, or compensate for the victims suffering or to be measured by it. Retribution The community demands that justice be served. Would justice not equally be served and in fact may be better served by life imprisonment? I believe tit would be a worse punishment to go through a life sentence in prison. The individual is deprived of liberty. He will then suffer and live the rest of his or her life within three lonely walls and a set of bars.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea :: essays research papers

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Jules Verne was born in France in 1828 and always had a love for the sea. He once tried to be a sea captain on a boat but things did not work out. Jules Verne has written many very famous books such as Journey To the Center of the Earth, Five Weeks in a balloon and Around the World in Eighty Days. I have written a review on one of his most famous books 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This book combines adventure, suspense and mystery throwing in a few pieces of information about life under the sea. The book begins with some great suspense, it begins with a boat chasing a giant monster that has destroyed some huge unsinkable ships. Every time they get close to this monster a giant stream of water shoots hundreds of feet into the air, causing the boat to back off. Once in a while the monster will disappear from sight for hours. While reading this part of the book the reader feels like he is on the boat chasing the monster also. A lot of times the boat gets close enough to the monster to catch it and thoughts of what you think the monster could be run through your head like crazy. When they finally make an attempt to capture it, it disappears beneath the depths of the ocean. One of the most suspenseful and mysterious parts of the book was when the characters were thrown into a big room inside the submarine that seemed to have no doors. At this point in the book the characters have no idea what was going on, neither does the reader. The only thing that happens during the time in this room is a man comes in and gives them some food, minutes later they all fell asleep. Why where they put to sleep, where is this room that seems to have no doors? This is just one of the hundreds of questions going through your head during these couple chapters of the book. When they wake up all the lights in the room are off and the submarine is shaking.

Nixon Essay -- essays research papers

Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th President of the United States of America, was born on January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda in Southern California to Francis A. and Hannah Milhous Nixon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nixon had a very rough childhood. Due to the illness of Richard’s brother, his mother was rarely around. Richard’s father was a very loud man who would beat his sons and enjoyed arguing with everyone, especially when it came to politics. Richard had to help out at the family gas station and grocery store while he was a college student. Nixon grew up harboring resentment toward people who were born into families and privileged and could trade on their social connections. Nixon attended Duke University and graduated from law school there. After graduating, Nixon applied to become an agent with the FBI and was rejected. He was also rejected when he applied to various major law firms. Eventually, Nixon found a job in a small law firm in Southern California. Nixon served as a Naval Officer during World War II. Afterward, he began to climb up the political ladder. He began by first serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and then in the Senate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout Nixon’s career, he used smear-politics to gain victory by viciously attacking his opponents. He used the public’s fear of communism during the Cold War years to his advantage by accusing several of his political enemies of being soft on communism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1952, President Eisenhower agreed to allow Nixon to serve as his running mate although he never really liked him. This was because Nixon would help Eisenhower win California. Six weeks before the election, a bombshell was dropped on the campaign. An illegal secret political fund of Nixon’s was discovered and publicized. Although Nixon was encouraged to withdraw from the ticket, he, instead, went on television and delivered a speech not about receiving bribes or money but about a little dog that his daughter had named Checkers. Eisenhower was convinced to keep Nixon on the ticket when he heard of the positive response of the American people to the â€Å"Checkers Speech.† Eisenhower and Nixon later won the 1952 election by a massive landslide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1956, Nixon was, once again, on the Republican ticket as the vice-presidential candidate. During his second term, Nixon became m... ...le from around the globe. These people included every president who was still living. A Eulogy was given by President Clinton in which he dwelled on Nixon’s great accomplishments, particularly in foreign affairs, rather than on his constitutional crimes such as those pertaining to the Watergate scandal. Summary Richard Milhous Nixon’s life started out being kind of tough but he eventually went on to be able to do great things such as becoming the President of the United States of America. Throughout his life, Richard Nixon did many things that were very great and very impressive but he was also responsible for doing many things that were definitely not so great and impressive. Nixon had a very impressive career when it came to foreign affairs but his career was far less impressive when you look at what was happening in the United States. If Nixon hadn’t been quite so paranoid and insecure in his own abilities, he would have made a far better president. After all, it was his paranoia and his insecurities that led him to forming the â€Å"plumbers† and to authorizing the things that ended up going on at the Watergate complex, which eventually led to his resignation from the Presidency.

Organizational Change Essay

1 INTRODUCTION 1 THE NEED FOR ORGANISATIONS TO CHANGE Organisations worldwide are currently facing increasing competition, price pressures and slower growth rates and in order to be successful, for many organisations, this prompts the need to constantly change to survive (Appelbaum, Delage, Gault & Labib, 1997; Burnes, 2004; Ndlovu & Parumasur, 2005) This new type of organisation is dynamic and change has become strategic to stay ahead of the game. Successful organisations are changing continuously but managing their change positively and carefully which results in increased productivity, commitment and involvement from employees (Kenton & Penn, 2009; Ndlovu & Parumasur, 2005). According to Luthans (2011), a successful organisation needs to create a learning culture that is proactive in its approach to both internal and external forces of change. 2 AIM OF DISCUSSION In an economy that is rapidly changing, an organisation’s ability to anticipate and respond to forces of change is a key success factor (Luthans, 2011; Robbins et al, 2009). The aim of this discussion is to provide a critical overview of change in the organisational context, using the field of Organisational Behaviour to analyse change at the individual and organisational level and to examine the ways in which organisations try to  eliminate resistance to change in the workplace. More specifically, the case study of organisational change at Nissan South Africa will be used to illustrate the impacts of change and the ways in which organisations try to manage change at the individual and organisational level. The following aspects will be further discussed to give an extensive understanding of organisational change: An overview of the concept of change, and the ways in which organisations should prepare for change An analysis of the change process using Kurt Lewin’s model, A discussion of the ways of reducing resistance to change in the workplace, An examination of the reasons for resisting change at the individual and organisational level An overview of the ways in which organisations should manage resistance to change in the workplace. 2 PREPARING AN ORGANISATION FOR CHANGE 3 THE CONCEPT OF CHANGE The concept of organisational change has many different meanings, but simply, it can be explained as the transition of an organisation from its current state to a desired state. Kenton & Penn (2009) highlight two types of changes, evolutionary and revolutionary change. Evolutionary change refers to continuous improvements of an organization which is gradual. This type of change becomes part of the norm in the ways of working. Revolutionary change refers to radical changes in ways of working where there are periods of normal operations followed by periods of drastic change (Kenton & Penn, 2009). Robbins et al (2009) describe change as planned or unplanned. Both of these types of change refer to a transformation, however, planned change is seen as a proactive approach to improve an organisation’s ability to adapt to anticipated forces of change. Forces of change can be internal or external. For South African organisations, change is overdue. After the sanctions of political Apartheid regime were lifted, South African organisations have  found themselves in a climate where the need for change has intensified due to the political and economic changes, an increasing diverse workforce, technological advances, increasing global competition, and rapid social developments. These internal and external forces of change need to be closely managed for an organisation to be profitable. 4 THE USE OF CHANGE AGENTS At the heart of an organisation are its people. Thus for any change to occur an organisation needs it’s people to change (Pasmore & Fagans, 1992). To prepare employees for change organisations often use change agents to facilitate organisational change. These change agents can be internal (e.g. managers, H.R. practitioners) or external (e.g. consultants). Internal agents, such as managers, are useful in that they have a deep understanding of the organisation’s systems and culture whereas an external agent, such as consultants, offer more objectivity and have a deeper understanding of change processes (Cummings & Worley, 2009; Kenton & Penn,2009; Robbins et al, 2009; Worren, Ruddle & Moore, 1999). 5 THE LEARNING ORGANISATION Burnes (2004) refers to organisational change as a constant feature both at an operational and strategic level. Thus for organisations to ensure their sustainability they need to constantly and actively identify the forces of change, their desired state and take the necessary actions to manage these changes to achieve the desired state. These organisations need to become learning organisations where there is a systems thinking approach, open and honest communication, teamwork, the presence of innovation and change, a gap between a desired state and current state to serve as motivation for change, critical reflection, empowerment and empathy, inspired leadership and other external factors (Luthans, 2011; Robbins et al, 2009). 6 DEVELOPING A CHANGE MODEL As discussed, learning organisations are key to successful organisational  change. The characteristics of a learning organization are at the core of the organisation’s culture. One of the important steps to prepare an organisation for change is to assess its current culture and desired culture. From this an organisation can identify how to manage change. A change model or a development process should be used to identify an organisations current and desired culture and to facilitate the change process (Burnes, 2004; Cummings & Worley, 2009; Luthans, 2011; Robbins et al, 2009). According to Worren et al (1999), this change model needs to be an integrative and holistic approach for change management that focuses on strategic changes to process and people. Some of these models for change include Kurt Lewin’s three step change process, action research, and the positive model, amongst others (Cummings & Worley, 2009; Luthans, 2011; Robbins et al, 2009). Kotter’s eight step plan for change will now be used to illustrate how to prepare for change management in an organisation followed by a detailed discussion of Kurt Lewin’s model for change process. 7 PREPARING NISSAN SA FOR CHANGE USING KOTTER’S EIGHT STEP PLAN Kotter’s eight step plan was developed as a result of findings that majority of organisational change efforts failed. This model indicates that the change process is a series of long phases and mistakes in any of these phases can have a considerable impact of the success of the change effort (Robbins et al, 2009). Kotter’s model will now be further explained with application to the Nissan S.A. case study. 2.1.1 Establish a sense of urgency The first step to avoiding failure of a change management process is to create a reason for the need to change (Robbins et al, 2009). For Nissan S.A. this could be a number of factors (both internal and external) to change. Externally, the organisation needs to change to meet world class standards of performance and to be able to compete. Internally the organisation needed to improve its efficiency, align to internal global standards, as well as to improve on its labour workforce to be sustainable in the future. Nissan S.A. should develop scenarios identifying the threats and opportunities for the future. Nissan S.A. needs to communicate well the  reasons for transformation and downsizing, the internal and external forces that have prompted change and the factors that are within the employees control and out of their locus of control. The organisation could also request support from outside stakeholders to support their argument. 2.1.2 Form a powerful coalition to lead change The second step to managing change is to create a team of change agents. These change agents need to be strong leaders that constantly communicate the urgency for change (Robbins et al, 2009). NUMSA members, managers as well as some older influential employees could be targeted for this team at Nissan S.A. This team should be used to convince others of the urgency for change and the need to take voluntary severance packages vs. forced retrenchment. 2.1.3 Create a vision for change The next step in the change management plan is to create a clear understanding of why the change is needed and what is the end goal (Robbins et al, 2009). Creating this vision can help convince and direct employees. Nissan S.A. should create a vision that would encourage employees to take severance packages, creating a vision of the end state for them, for example, starting their own business as suppliers. 2.1.4 Communicate the vision Once the vision is created it needs to be continuously communicated (Robbins et al, 2009). Poor communication about the downsizing process, the new structures, roles and future of the organisation can impact on trust and loyalty of survivors (Appelbaum et al 1997; Aucamp, 2001). Organisations need to constantly communicate to employees throughout the downsizing process as well as after, providing support and encouraging positive attitudes and commitment (Ngirande & Nel, 2012). Organisations should communicate the future of the organisation, clarify the new roles of employees, and be transparent about the reasons for downsizing. Constant communication will build security, trust and commitment (Aucamp, 2001; Luthans, 2011; Ndlovu & Parumasur , 2005). Nissan S.A. could follow the example of the tools the mining company De Beers used for staff  communication. Some of these include open employee engagement sessions, videos from leaders communicating the vision, one on one sessions, helpdesks and regular emails/ letters (Bomela, 2007). 2.1.5 Empower others to act on the vision Once the vision is created and communicated it needs to be actioned. But there will be obstacles to make this happen. Therefore it is important that the team of change agents are empowered to keep the vision and direction alive. One of the ways Nissan S.A. could do this is to identify those resisting change and help them move past their conflict as well as rewarding the team of change agents that are working to facilitate the transition (Furst & Cable, 2008; Robbins et al, 2009). 2.1.6 Create short term wins The next step is to identify the low hanging fruit that aids the vision and celebrate achieving these steps to motivate employees (Robbins et al, 2009). For example, Nissan S.A. could have celebrated the agreement reached with NUMSA and communicated this widely across the organisation as a positive agreement. Another example, Nissan S.A. could celebrate and reward the first few employees that have taken the severance packages and that have become suppliers. 2.1.7 Consolidate and build on change To avoid failure of a change process it is important to continuously assess the change plan, vision/actions and to change and make improvements along the way (Robbins et al, 2009). Nissan S.A. should have constantly assessed their change program and when they found poor responses to severance packages they should have revised their plans and changed the way of doing things to target more responses. Some of the improvements that could be made is in communication to employees or educating and training employees in becoming â€Å"change masters† (Aucamp, 2001, Oxtoby, Mcguiness & Morgan, 2002). 2.1.8 Reinforce the changes One of the most important steps in Kotter’s plan is to embed the plan such that it becomes core to the organisation’s culture. This is about creating a learning organisation where change becomes part of the normal ways of working and where employees have the ability to manage change easily (Luthans, 2011; Robbins et al, 2009). Some of the things that Nissan S.A. could do is to add and constantly empower their team of change agents and publicly recognise these change agents, as well as include change management values when hiring their new staff to ensure continuity of the culture (Oxtoby et al, 2002). 8 PREPARING NISSAN S.A. FOR CHANGE As discussed, to manage change, a model or process is an important tool in facilitating the change process. Key to the process though are the employees who themselves need to change. The use of change agents is an impactful way in which to encourage employees to change and to create a learning culture. Some of the key highlights that Nissan S.A. could use in preparing their organisation for change include assessing their current and desired culture, developing a team of change agents to facilitate change, creating a short term and long term change strategy and constantly improving on their change plans to achieve their goals. Some of the things that may impact an organisation’s readiness for change are the employees’ perception toward change efforts, the level of trust, communication and support from managers, and the employees’ level of acceptance of the change (Susanto, 2008). Central to the steps in preparing for change is to create a learning culture/ organisation to manage planned change. Planned change if managed through a model or process can improve an organisation’s efficiency and effectiveness in achieving its goals (Burnes, 2004; Robbins et al, 2009). 3 KURT LEWIN’S THREE STEP CHANGE MODEL One of the models for planned change that can be used for the Nissan S.A. case study is Kurt Lewin’s three step model for change process which is based on the theory that for change to occur there needs to be a challenge  to the status quo whereby the forces driving change must overcome the forces against change (Robbins et al, 2009). 9 STEP ONE: UNFREEZING This first step for change involves challenging the current status quo and weakening forces against change. Lewin indicated that for employees to accept the new change then they need to â€Å"unlearn† the current status quo (Burnes, 2004). To do this it is important to convince employees of the need for the change (Cummings & Worley, 2009; Robbins et al, 2009). According to Robbins et al (2009) unfreezing involves either increasing the driving forces, reducing the forces against change or a collaboration of both of these approaches. Currently at Nissan S.A. the forces against the change is clearly stronger than the forces driving change. Nissan S.A. need to clearly communicate the needs for the change and work on strategies to convince employees of the desired future state. The use of change agents in this instance could be very useful as they will introduce the new desired state in a positive way to challenge the current status quo and convince others (Robbins et al, 2009). Some of the things that need to be clearly communicated are the need and reasons for downsizing as well as the short term benefits of the rejuvenation process (severance package, small business start up, staying on longer to train others) vs. forced retrenchment and long terms benefits of the rejuvenation process (increased efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the business). 10 STEP TWO: MOVING Once the current status quo has been unfrozen and employees start to accept and adopt new status quo it is important that the new status quo is strengthened. To do this involves changes to structures and processes (Cummings & Worley, 2009; Robbins et al, 2009). Nissan S.A. needs to identify those change agents and empower them to facilitate change. Another step that is important is creating short term goals for the change process and communicating this throughout the organisation as well as to assist those employees resisting change to accept change (through communication, education, more involvement). According to Oxtoby et al (2002), apart from methods and changes to structures, equally important is the time need to build employees’ career resilience. 11 STEP THREE: REFREEZING Refreezing involves reinforcing the new status quo that has been created by balancing the forces for and against change (Robbins et al, 2009). It is important that the new strategies implemented become permanenent through creating a learning culture/organisation (Burnes, 2004; Luthans 2011, Robbins et al, 2009). This can be done through introducing a reward system. Another important step is for Nissan S.A. to constantly assess their change strategies and adjust it so they can achieve their desired goal. Some of the things that Nissan S.A. could do is to add and constantly empower their team of change agents and publicly recognise these change agents, as well as include change management values when hiring their new staff to ensure continuity of the culture. 12 REDUCING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Resistance to change can be evident at both the individual and organisational level (Cummings & Worley, 2009). From Lewin’s model of change and Kotter’s eight step plan it is evident that there will always be some resistance to change from employees. It is important that the resistance to change is managed appropriately for change to occur. For change efforts to be successful organisations need to reduce resistance from employees for them to adopt new behaviours (Furst & Cable, 2008). 3.1.1 Ways to reduce employee resistance to change According to Cummings & Worley (2009) some of the ways to reduce employee resistance can be achieved through the following five phase approach: Motivating Change This involves preparing employees for change through communicating the need for change , the current state and desired future state of the organisation as well as reassurance that the desired future state can be achieved successfully. It also inlvoves management developing strategies to implement change and ensuring support mechanisms are in place to help employees overcome resistance to change. Creating a vision This phase includes creation and communication of the vision of the future state of the organisation. This vision needs to be convincing for employee buy in of the change efforts. It therefore needs to be relevant, realistic and needs to communicate the message of the improvements the change will make for individuals and the organisation. Managing the transition This includes the activities planned to manage the change, the changes to structures and processes to achieve the desired future state and commitment planning. Important is that these plans and activities are constantly assessed and modified if needed. It is important to keep employees engaged and informed throughout the process so that they understand the needs for change, the processes to getting there as well as keep them in the loop of the progress made. Developing political support This phase involves identifying key stakeholders that have powerful influence on the change process and managing these stakeholder interests and engagement in the change process. It also involves assessing the power that change agents have on the change efforts and their ability to influence others. Sustaining momentum This includes providing the necessary resources and support for change to occur. Some of the aspects that are important is providing support from managers, training and education of employees, empowering change agents, reinforcing new behaviours (for example through reward systems) and providing feedback to employees. Telkom SA developed a change model focusing on building individuals career resilience to adapt to change more positively and empowered individuals by providing training for new roles and assuring them of their value to the organisation (Aucamp, 2001). 3.1.2 Reasons for resistance to change : Individual level According to Robbins et al (2009) there are a number of sources of resistance at the individual level. These include: Habit and Security Individuals lead complex lives and are constantly faced with having to make decisions. One of the ways to reduce and manage complexity is to rely on habits (programmed responses). Some individuals have a high reliance on their feelings of safety. Any threats to security can result in individuals resisting change as new behaviours sit outside of their comfort zone and any changes that conflict with existing habits can also be a reason for resistance as individuals have a tendency to rely on habitual behaviour. (Robbins et al, 2009). According to Peus et al (2009), individuals may feel uncertainty regarding their positions, roles and responsibilities in the organization and a result will resist change. Fear of the Unknown and Economic Factors We live in a volatile and uncertain era where there are constant changes in the business world. Individuals faced with this constant uncertainty of the future may resistant change due to the fear of the unknown (Robbins et al, 2009). According to Peus et al (2009) individuals seek to gain prediction over future events to reduce the fear of the unknown and their loss of control. Another resistance to change can be an individual’s concern for loss of or lower income as a result of the changes. Selective information processing Individuals perceptions shape their thinking about the world. Robbins et al (2009) recognize that the ways in which individuals perceive their world can also be a factor in their response to change. Anything new to their way of thinking will be resisted as it is not part of their current knowledge system. Fear of Failure Peus et al (2009) also recognises the fear of not being able to cope with the new changes to processes or technologies as one the reasons individuals may resist change. If an individual believes he or she is not able to cope with the changes then there are likely to resist change. Kotter & Schlesinger (2008) also recognise that individuals may resist change if they feel they are not capable of learning new skills and behaviours to adapt to the  changes. Other factors of resistance Kotter & Schlesinger (2008) also highlight some other reasons individuals resist change including parochial self interest, misunderstanding and lack of trust as well as different views of the benefits and costs of the changes intiated. Parochial Self interest refers to the individual’s perception that he or she will lose something of value because of the imminent changes and as a result focus on their own interests and not the organisations. This in turn results in political behaviour which can be overt or implicit. 3.1.3 Reasons for resistance to change: Organisational level Robbins et al (2009) highlight some of the reasons organisations resist change as the following: Structural inertia This refers to the structures and processes in place that produces stability in an organization. This can be an organisations selection and training techniques, job descriptions and procedures for operations. When confronted with change â€Å"this structural inertia acts as a counterbalance to sustain stability† (Robbins et al, 2009: 486). Limited focus of change Organisations are made up of interdependent subsystems and any changes in one part of the system will impact the greater system. Therefore any changes in an organisation that are only focused on one area without recognizing the impact of other areas will experience resistance to change. For example implementing a new technology without considering the training requirements and procedures that also need to change will likely experience resistance to change (Robbins et al, 2009). Group inertia This refers to the group norms and perceptions that exist that direct the behaviours of individuals and that can impact decisions for change by individuals (Robbins et al, 2009). Threat to expertise Some organisational changes will have an impact on the expertise of  specialised groups. Implementing a new way of working may mean that a specialist group of experts are now redundant to everyday operations (Robbins et al, 2009). Threat to established power relationships Any threat to existing power relationships can have an impact on change efforts. Introducing participative decision making for example is threatening to supervisors and middle manager power roles (Robbins et al, 2009). Threat to established resource allocation Some departments in an organisation may be threatened by changes if they perceive the change as a threat to their current or future resource allocation (Robbins et al, 2009). 3.1.4 How can Nissan S.A. manage resistance to change Some of the ways that Nissan S.A. can manage individual and organisational resistance to change include the following: Education and Communication Organisations need to constantly educate and communicate to employees throughout the change process as well as after, providing support and encouraging positive attitudes and commitment (Ngirande & Nel, 2012). Nissan S.A. should communicate the future of the organisation, clarify the new roles of employees, and be transparent about the reasons for change. Constant communication will build security, trust and commitment as well as reduce resistance to change (Aucamp, 2001; Luthans, 2011; Ndlovu & Parumasur 2005; Robbins et al, 2009). Participation According to Oxtoby et al (2002), all employees should have a sense of ownership over the changes that are being implemented in their organisation. Creating a higher level of involvement and participation from employees will create commitment from employees. Nissan S.A. need to value the importance of people and their influence in the changes that are desired. Involving employees at all levels can deliver better commitment to the workforce rejuvenation plan. Creating opportunities for all employees to be involved  in some way of the decision making process for change can have a positive impact on the morale of employees (Robbins et al, 2009). Building support and commitment The use of change agents at Nissan S.A. during the change process is a way in which to reduce the resistance of the fear of the unknown and provide direction and support to employees. Change agents can also assist those that are resisting change by convincing them of the benefits of the changes, improving perceptions and commitment to change. For example, Nissan S.A. could provide counselling sessions, increased management visibility and one on one sessions, providing skills training, etc. (Robbins et al, 2009). Choosing people who accept change Nissan S.A. need to recognise those that adapt to the new changes best and use these individuals as change agents. Change agents can assist in creating a positive attitude of the change process. It is also important that the new employees that Nissan S.A. hires have the same capability as the change agents in that they are open and able to adjust easily to change (Robbins et al, 2009). Implementing change fairly For Nissan S.A. this means due diligence in the procedures for change ensuring fairness and consistency across the change process. For example, if the aged employee given the training can improve his capability and performance then is it necessary for him to be retrenched and replaced with a younger employee? Should this aged employee not be given the chance to prove him or herself? Nissan S.A. should ensure the criteria for retrenchment are also fair. The changes that Nissan S.A. propose should be made from top management down to employees on the line to ensure consistency. Manipulation and Co-optation Both manipulation and co-optation are sneaky tactics but can be useful to gain support (Robbins et al, 2009). Nissan S.A. may use co-optation as a method to gain buy-in from NUMSA or may distort the information about the severance packages offered to make the benefits seem higher than the costs  to the targeted employees. Coercion Threats, poor performance reviews, or any other form of sanctions and legitimization tactics can be used to resist change. The strength of the LMX (leader-member exchange) relationship may have the desired or negative impact on the reaction of employees to such efforts. Research shows that a low-quality LMX relationship results in greater resistance to change whereas those employees with high quality LMX relationships may attribute the sanctions to situational factors and reduce resistance (Furst & Cable, 2008). Nissan S.A. need to identify which relationships require specific tactics. The use of change agents are a more useful way to reduce resistance than coercion however if the desired results are not achieved then threatening with forced retrenchment may be necessary to gain more responses. 4 CONCLUSION This discussion has shown how change should be managed to move an organisation from its current state to its future desired state. In order to facilitate the change process successfully there is a need for the use of a model or process. Resistance to change can occur at both the individual as well as the organisational level. It is important throughout the change process that resistance to change is managed appropriately. According to Luthans (2011), changes to an organisations culture needs to occur for change to become permanent. Organisations should strive to become learning organisations where learning and change is central to business culture and processes (Burnes, 2004; Luthans, 2011). Some of the ways in which organisations can achieve this is through assessing the current organisation culture, setting realistic goals, hiring the right people to facilitate change, ensuring consistency in change management, removing the old culture, managing the resistance to change effectively, keeping the momentum of change and to be persistent (Luthans, 2011). For Nissan S.A. these guidelines could be very useful in developing a learning organisation to ensure that they do not find themselves in this similar position in the future. 5 REFERENCES Appelbaum, S.H., Delage, C., Gault, G., Labib, N. (1997). The survivor syndrome: Aftermath of downsizing. Career Development International, 2 (6), 278-286. Aucamp, N. (2001). Change management implications of a retrenchment strategy in a selected section of a telecommunications organisation. Unpublished MBA dissertation. Port Elizabeth Technikon. Bomela, M. (2007). Retaining critical skills and talented employees during and after organisational downsizing. Unpublished MBA dissertation. University of Pretoria. Burnes, B. (2004). Kurt Lewin and complexity theories: back to the future? Journal of Change Management, 4(4), 309-325. Cummings, T.G., & Worley, C.G. (2009). Orgaization development and change (9th ed.). Cengage. Furst, S.A., & Cable, D.M. (2008). Employee resistance to organizational change: Managerial influence tactics and leader-member exchange. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(2), 453-462. Kenton, B., & Penn, S. (2009). Change conflict and community: Challenging thought an d action (1st ed.). Elsevier Ltd. Kotter, J.P and Schlesinger, L.A (2008) Choosing strategies for change. Harvard Business Review, 86(7/8). July-August, 130-139. Luthans, F. (2011). Organizational behaviour: An evidence-based approach (12th ed.). McGraw Hill. Ndlovu, N., & Parumasur, S.B. (2005). The perceived impact of downsizing and organisational transformation on survivors. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(2), 14-21. Nel, A., & Ngirande, H. (2012). The psychological impact of downsizing on employee survivors in the manufacturing industry. African Journal of Business Management, 6 (11), 4371-4375. Oxtoby, B., Mcguiness, T., & Morgan, R. (2002). Developing organisational change capability. European Management Journal, 20(3), 310-320. Pasmore, W.A., & Fagans, M.R. (1992). Participation, individual development and organisational change: a review and synthesis. Journal of Management, 18(2), 375-397. Peus, C. Frey, D., Gerkhardt, M., Fischer, P., & Traut-Mattausch, E. (2009). Leading and managing organizational change initiatives. Management Revue, 20(2), 158-175. Retrieved april 18 2014 from the World Wide Web: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41783612. Robbins, S.P., & Jude, T.A. (2009). Organisational behaviour: Global and southern African perspectives (2nd ed.). Pearson. Susanto, A.B. (2008). Organisational readiness for change: A case study on change readiness in a manufacturing organisation in Indonesia. International Journal of Management Perspective, 2(1), 50-62. Worren, N.A.M., Ruddle, K., & Moore, K. (1999). From organizational development to change management: the emergence of a new profession. The Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, 35(3), 273-296. 6 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 6.1 I logically and systematically applied the resources to explain and give support to my understanding of the content and central concepts and provided examples where necessary. I understood best the sections on survivor syndrome. I am not confident in my application of the frustration model. I think I have covered Kotter’s 8 step plan best and need to improve on my understanding of managing resistance to change. 6.2 I found Robbins et al (2009) most useful as it provided an overall understanding of change management process and included all aspects that needed to be convered in this assignment. 6.3 I used information on change management from articles and research done in South African industries to use as examples in illustrating my answer as well as to help me further understand some of the models of change 6.4 3 months (March – May) approximately 1 hour each day. This includes reading the material, researching additional resources, planning, writing and checking. 6.5 The material covered is relevant to South African work environment where change is common in industry. Having an understanding of this will assist in helping organisations improve business processes and at the same time improve individual well being. The resources also provided proactive and positive ways to deal with change. 6.6 Areas of knowledge: Referencing Techniques, Motivation Theory; Skills: Planning, Problem Solving;   Other Qualities: Diligence, Perseverance, Critical Thinking. 6.7 Yes. Having an understanding of the ways in which change can be managed can help with improving how I manage and interpret change as an individual as well as I see some beneficial aspects that my current employer can use to manage change. I would like to further develop my knowledge gained on the learning organisation as it has never occurred to me, until now, as a priority to be dealt with in the change process in order for future business success. 6.8 The assessment criteria provide a good framework to answer the questions, clear guidelines; it gives one the opportunity to reflect on the overall concepts and to assess the quality of work presented. 6.9 I would like to improve my understanding of the different models of change apart from Lewin and Kotter. I would like to do more reading on action research etc and see how I can apply this knowledge better. I will by reading more and improve my referencing techniques which I feel I will gain with more practice.

Day of triffids

Day of triffids BY can-Dy The Day Of The Triffids – Chapter 1-6 Chapter 1: the end begins William â€Å"Bill† Masen wakes up in a hospital with his eyes bandaged. He recalls the events of the night before when the earth passed through comet debris causing green flashes of light. He removes the bandages and leaves to find that the green flashes have rendered everyone blind and that he may be the only one who is still sighted. Chapter 2: The Coming Of The Triffids Bill discusses his personal history and the origin of the triffids.He explains how the triffids originated and how they spread across the world. He describes what a triffid ooks like and how it acts when it walks. He also tells of how he was stung by a triffid as a child which led him to his study of triffids. Chapter 3: The Grouping City Bill goes on the street and encounter a blind man, and then he see a young blind man with a child and a blind woman trying to get some food from a store. He see a group of blin d people is control by a sighted man, and he tries to stop the sighted man from being rude to the blind women, but he is knocked out.He wants to find out what has been happening. Chapter 4: Shadows Before Bill is wandering the streets when he hears a scream and finds a sighted young oman being beaten by a blind man. He rescues her and she reveals her name as Josella Playton who had missed the comet through a wild party. They drive to Josella's home but find that her family has all been killed by triffids. Chapter 5: A Light In The Night Bill and Josella drive toward Clerkenwell and try to find some weapons that will help them defend themselves from the triffids.While driving, their car was beseiged and they barely escape with their lives. They eventually find themselves some gear and clothes. As day falls into night, they decide to spend the night in a tower block and uring the night they see a bright light and decide to investigate it in the morning. Chapter 6: Rendezvous Bill and Josella arrive at the University of London, where they believe that the bright light had originated the night before.There they observe a sighted man, leading a mob of blind people, argue with the sighted on the other side of the gate. But through machine gun fire, they are sent away. Bill learns that the inhabitants of the university can see and that they plan to leave London soon. Deciding to help B Josella go out to gather food. Characters William â€Å"Bill† Masen A triffid biologist from south London and the novel's protagonist. He is one of the only ones not to lose his sight as a result of the green flashes of light.Josella Playton A young woman whom Bill rescues and falls in love with. She is about 24 at the beginning of the story. She came from a well-off family and was infamous for writing a notorious sexual book. Vocab Peevish irritated Aggrieved troubled; disturbed Triffid a large plant with a poisonous sting that is able to move; farmed as the produce a useful oi l Abruptly unexpectedly sudden Mimicking to copy or imitate closely, especially in speech, expression, and gesture

A Clean Well-lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway Essay

â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† by Ernest Hemingway â€Å"A Days Wait† by Ernest Hemingway â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber† by Ernest Hemingway â€Å"Indian Camp† by Ernest Hemingway â€Å"Soldier’s Home† by Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway has presented us with some of the best literature of the 20th century. He has been recognized in recent times as one of the greatest writers of all time, and the effect his work has left upon us is compared with that of Shakespeare’s. His great success could be due, in part, to the fact that characters in his literature lead lives which mirror his own in many ways. Literary critics have dubbed these parallels â€Å"code heroes,† and have presented guidelines as to what lifestyles they lead in Hemingway’s stories. I wish to show similarities in the presence of these certain, uniform traits that are common among Hemingway’s code hero in the stories, â€Å"A Cle an Well-Lighted Place† and â€Å"A Day’s Wait,† both by Ernest Hemingway. The specific elements that make up a code hero are as follows: (1) â€Å"Eat, drink, and be merry, because tomorrow you may die.† (2) â€Å"When you’re dead, you’re dead.† (3) â€Å"Avoid death at all cost, but don’t be afraid to die.† (4) â€Å"Always be disciplined, never show emotion.† (5) â€Å"Grace under pressure.† (6) Nada concept – a code hero is not comfortable at night. They become most active during darkness, because they fear it and try to avoid it at all times. In the short story, â€Å"A Day’s Wait,† the presence of code hero traits is evident in the thoughts, words, and actions of Schatz, the main character in the story. Schatz is a small child who believes that he is going to die, yet he does not fear it. Instead, the boy lies in bed and takes it. He understands that death is an accepted reality rather than a worrisome end for a code hero. Schatz forces himself to be strong for his father. He tells him, â€Å"You don’t have to stay in here with me, Papa, if it bothers you.† Schatz continues to prove himself as a code hero by constantly stifling any emotion that he is feeling. He never once shares with his father the immense turmoil that is present within himself. When his father asks him how he feels, he simply replies, â€Å"Just the same, so far.† This is an adequate reply for a Hemingway code hero because he always feels the presence of an undying peace that is control. He knows that he must exhibit an unyielding grace  under pressure. Schatz epitomizes all of these characteristics, and not only because his coded behavior is undeniable, but because he is not a soldier at the front or a man with a crippling injury which no longer allows him to enjoy life, he is only a boy of nine years. Schatz displays a grace that most adults can not fathom. He is determined to show an emotional strength that is beyond his years. As with most of Hemingway’s code heroes, Schatz is aware of the awkward feeling in which darkness presents. His father tells him to go to bed several times, but Schatz knows that he must remain conscious and enjoy his last hours of life. If he allows himself to pass onto a vulnerable state that is sleep, he knows that he may not wake up. â€Å"I’d rather stay awake,† he tells his father in the uneventful way in which only a code hero can. The old man in the short story â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place† also understands what it takes to be one of Hemingway’s elite. He drinks every night until he is drunk, because he knows that tonight may be his last. He knows that the world is a constant struggle and that he must be victor, lest he lose the game. For once the game is lost, it is not an easy task to play again. In the world of a code hero, there are no rewards for second place. Once the old man is done, he knows that he can never return in the glory which he once enjoyed. But he does not fear this. That would not be the style which suits him. In fact, we learn that the old man welcomes death, â€Å"He hung himself with a rope.† He possesses an advantage above those who fear death. He feels that he would be happier in death than in life. The old man proves to us that he is unhappy, but he cannot show this. He remains dignified in his agony and understands that it would not be â€Å"sporting† to end the game this way. His respect comes from playing the game well, for he is a code hero. Even in the drunken stagger that he must fight every night during his long walk home, he is collected, a decorated soldier who proudly fights the good battle. â€Å"The waiter watched him go down the street, a very old man walking unsteadily but with dignity.† The old man, as all code heroes must, also denies the presence of darkness. Hemingway uses particular code elements more than others in certain stories, and this is no  exception. The short story â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place† is completely based on the nada concept. The narrator explains the old man’s need for a lighted place in order to somehow prevent the unbearable loneliness in which he refuses to succumb to. Hemingway, in his genius, understands this need in all of us. In his representation of this light, he triggers the same feeling of warmth that the old man has grown to depend on. The old man goes to that place in his childhood in which he remembers the freshly washed countertop, the warm, fluorescent glow of a grandmother’s kitchen at night just before bedtime. Just like all of us, he does not want to go to bed. He longs to be awake and in the presence of that security. Many similarities are seen between the code heroes of Schatz, in â€Å"A Day’s Wait,† and the old man from â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place.† Both possess a quality which allows them to view death differently. They are able to see a larger picture in which they play the game well, but when they are through they must accept the fact that they cannot go back. This ability to view death is what allows Schatz to accept an early end, and also what gives the old man the strength to stare his maker in the eyes and kick the chair out from underneath himself. Both Schatz and the old man are able to eliminate the emotions which complicate all of our lives. In the possession of this trait, both characters are able to focus completely on the task which is at hand. Schatz knows that he must be strong for his father, so he can waste no time on feelings. The old man also knows that he has another purpose in life than to promote charity. He is called to live a life worthy of a code hero’s recognition. He is called to play the game better than anyone else until the end no longer permits him to. These characters both force themselves to carry on a dignified existence. Schatz knows that wailing and carrying-on do not exist in the world of a code hero. He knows that the only way he can face death is with the same attitude that he faced each day of his existence. To give up now would be losing the battle. The old man also knows how to lead a life of dignity. â€Å"I wouldn’t want to be that old. An old man is a nasty thing. Not always. This old man is clean. He drinks without spilling. Even now, drunk. Look at him.† It is evident to the waiter that the old man is somehow controlled by an invisible force, an internal force, which does not allow him to give any impression except one of control, one of grace. Lastly, these two code heroes share a respect for darkness. This respect incorporates everything that darkness represents. They cannot fear darkness, for it is not in the nature of a code hero to fear anything, but they also cannot forget the feeling that darkness gives them. In the short story â€Å"A Day’s Wait,† the obvious observation must be made that the boy never once allows himself to become vulnerable in the unreadiness which is sleep. The old man is so uncomfortable with this vulnerability that he lives out darkness underneath a ceiling light in a cafÃÆ' © booth. Schatz and the old man are examples of Hemingway code heroes at their best. In each short story that Hemingway’s pen has graced, we see a character who can be considered heroic in a way specific to themselves and to Ernest Hemingway. However, it is when these single characters are presented in the light of a comparison that it is possible to see just exactly what Hemingway was trying to accomplish in developing each of them.

Ideological underpinnings of a movie Essay

An expectation has arisen among film-critics and audiences, that movie-makers will deal with the serious issues, such as racism and violence, at a serious level. In other words, it is expected by critics and film-goers alike that films will have meaning. However, if meaning is expected — what precisely creates and communicates meaning in a film? As Louis Giannetti points out in his book, Understanding Movies (2008), the presence of ideology in a film impacts the film in its entirety, from tone to theme. In Giannetti’s estimation, â€Å"ideology is another language system in film† and this language is largely conveyed through â€Å"code† (Giannetti, 453). In order to help illustrate the way that ideology influences films, Giannetti offers a series of categories into which the influence of ideology in film can be functionally divided. The following discussion of the film 300 (2007) will use Giannetti’s ideas as a support-structure to show how meaning in film is ultimately determined by the film’s prevailing ideology. In any discussion of meaning in film, it will be important to distinguish between what might be considered â€Å"overt† or even propagandistic meaning and thematic or expressive meaning. Of course this distinction is quite artificial and the two hypothetically divided types of meaning are often one and the same. That said, there is often a conspicuous difference between a film which has an explicit propagandistic agenda than a film which is based on generating thematic and emotional subtlety. The movie 300 offers, even to the most casual viewer, an example of what Giannetti calls â€Å"Explicit† ideology (Giannetti, 449). In this category of ideological content, a movie serves, at least partially, as obvious propaganda for a viewpoint or cause. That 300 functions as a form of propaganda is easily arguable. However, it is slightly more difficult to pinpoint exactly what specific cause or theme is being forwarded by the film’s ideology. In order to determine the film’s ideological bearing, closer attention must be paid to its content and its artistic tone. Giannetti mentions that tone in a film can be one of the most important aspects of presenting the film’s ideology. What Giannetti means by tone is â€Å"its manner of presentation† (Giannetti, 489). For example, in the movie 300, any number of important scenes, if played with a â€Å"comic† rather than a â€Å"heroic† tone, would create a different response in the viewer and therfore communicate a different ideological vision. Imagine the scene where Leonidas kicks the Persian messenger down the well: if the well had sounded out a loud burp after swallowing the messenger, the tone of the scene would have mocked the idea of Spartan pride and Spartan loyalty rather than celebrating it. The reason that tone is so important in a film is that it defines the way the audience will evaluate and judge the characters and scenes of a film. Because as Giannetti insists, â€Å"Tone can strongly affect our responses to a given set of values† (Giannetti, 489), tone is closely connected to ideology and theme. In the example given above, Leonidas kicks the Persian messenger down the well and this scene is presented in a heroic tone. From the outset of the film, the viewer is cued-in to understand that the Spartans are heroic and that they operate from a sense of pride and fearlessness. The tone of heroicism is conveyed not only through the action of the scene, but through the stylized representation of the characters as muscle-bound heros. The Mise-en-scene of the film is connected to the visual color-schemes of comic books and graphic novels. The sense of legend permeates the film, as it permeates the actual historical event. Therefore, the most dominant or controlling tone of 300 can be considered â€Å"heroic. † The fact that a movie has a controlling tone does not mean that other types of tones are not present in isolated scenes. In fact, the opposite is generally the case. The shifts against the dominant tone also help to convey meaning and ideology in a film. If the controlling tone of 300 is heroic, then the scenes that play against this dominant tone, such as the scene where Theron rapes Queen Gorgo, serve to reinforce the film’s dominant tone and ideology. When Theron tells the Queen she will not enjoy what is going to happen to her, the tone of the scene is tragic rather than heroic, and Theron’s status as a villain is cemented in the audience’s minds. The scene, by depicting graphically, the rape of Sparta’s Queen reinforces the heroic sacrifice of Leonidas and his men. Another aspect of films that influences ideological language is the cultural context in which a given film is made and shown. Cultural context is a crucial aspect of a film’s ideological meaning. The expectations of a given audience rest on the fact that â€Å"Every nation has a characteristic way of looking at life, a set of values that is typical of a given culture† (Giannetti, 465). The movie 300 is an American movie made for American audiences. ecause of this it would be hard for anyone to miss the obvious connections between contemporary world-events and the ideological themes that are shown in the movie. Comparisons with recent events are more or less easy. Any observer could see the present-day war against terrorism as a stand for freedom and to view the Battle of Thermopylae as a sort of allegory for the modern-day struggle against tyra nny. Obviously, the movie 300 forwards this connection through the kind of â€Å"code† that Giannetti describes. Still, as Dennis Behreandt points out in his review of the film from The New American (2007) the movie â€Å"serves to buttress the American mythos that our present-day warriors are likewise fighting for freedom in Iraq† and also that this is most evident in the scene where † Gorgo addresses the Gerousia, the Spartan Senate† when her speech could only remind any aware person of the â€Å"recent troop surge in Iraq† (Behreandt). This kind of cultural context would, obviously, be of less significance to someone who lived out side of the U. S. han to someone steeped in to American values. In addition to the cultural context of a film, there is usually a predominant political context. The political context of a film, for Giannetti, can loosely be divided into one of two categories: left and right. Left-leaning films are those that show multiple viewpoints to issues and propose more flexible responses to issues and problems. Giannetti describes leftists as people who â€Å"believe we ought to be flexible in our judgments. † By contrast, right-leaning film-makers are those who embrace a more stringent world-view. The rightist film-maker is â€Å"more absolute in judging human behavior [†¦ ] Right and wrong are fairly clear-cut and ought to be evaluated according to a strict code of conduct† (Giannetti, 457). In the case of 300, the designation of â€Å"Rightest† is, obviously, the most fitting for the film due to its tone and cultural perspective. Loosely, according to the discussion above, the following observations about 300 can be made in light of Giannetti’s criteria for evaluating the ideological underpinnings of films. First, that 300 is a film that relies predominantly on a heroic tone. Second, the film 300 depends on the specific cultural associations of American society to find its full ideological impact. Third, that 300 represents a â€Å"Rightest† political ideology. The three conclusions, taken together, along with the initial determination that 300 is an â€Å"explicit† communicator if ideology, beg the question as to whether or not 300 is more a vehicle for entertainment or propaganda. One of the opposing aspects to this idea is the fact that 300 is based on history. The idea that historical realism balances out the â€Å"poetic licesne† often taken by Hollywood regarding tone and presentation is one that, for better or worse, many film-goers probably believe. In addition to the idea that a culture could exert such self-discipline in its military caste and instill within each soldier a sense of bravery and fearlessness was a very powerful concept in 300 , which seems to resonate deeply with modern times. It is hard not to be fascinated by the Spartans, to wonder what made them as strong and resolute a they were and to wonder just as Xerxes â€Å"†What kind of men were these Spartans who in three days had slain before his Majesty’s eyes no fewer than twenty thousand of His most valiant warriors? † (Pressfield, 8). However, the fact shades of realism exist within the largely stylized or expressionistic â€Å"flavor† of the film only serves to elevate its power to transmit equally stylized (or stereotyped) ideologies. For example, the difference between vanity and pride seemed to have a great deal of influence on the Spartan conception of bravery as it was portrayed in the movie 300. Modern-day leaders would never think of putting themselves in direct danger like King Leonidas: his pride rather than his vanity dictated his actions and pride stems from a sense of civic (or national) unity. Loyalty is another important concept in the movie. It becomes the central most important idea, given that Spartan military power evolved out of the phalanx, which required the utmost loyalty and steadfastness of each warrior in the unit as a whole. The idea that â€Å"a Greek traitor showed the Persians another path, which enabled them to come round behind and encircle the Greeks† and that this ultimately led to the wholesale destruction of the Spartans at Thermopylae shows how important loyalty was to the Spartans. After Leonidas is killed † his men fought on with redoubled fury under the Persian arrows, as much to defend the fallen body of their King from the savagery of the barbarians as to show their valor† (â€Å"THE GREATEST WARRIORS†). The historical basis of the film is incorporated into the larger and more important â€Å"myth† of the movie that is conveyed in heroic tones that simplify historical subtleties and create a fictional paradigm of idealism. Therefore, the fact that realism in films can be construed into a propagandistic function, is the reality that filmmakers, and especially American filmmakers, are subject to the prejudices and â€Å"blind-spots† which are inherent to the social position they occupy and to which they owe their ability to make high-profile films. Elizabeth G. Traube’s Dreaming Identities: Class, Gender, and Generation in 1980s (1992) offers background to the mores and machinations of the filmmaking industry in America and her observations are important for understanding that movies are, in fact, propagandistic and often they represent the experience of only a very small segment of American society. This narrowness is obscured, according to Traube, beneath a veneer which can be thought of as a traditional moralistic package. Traube points out that, in reality, â€Å"audience preferences are only one of many factors that influence production decisions. Producers also shape their work to conform to dominant sensibilities and values, including those of the producing community itself† (Traube, 69). This reality combined with Traube’s complex but insightful understanding of â€Å"fairy-tale† motifs in movies is crucial to elucidating the way that anger and racial conflict are expressed propagandistically in film. All fables rely on a straightforward, linear narrative due to the fact that complex stories tend to obscure the thrust of the intended moral. Because the author of any fable is able to transform â€Å"topical news and politics into universal predicaments† (â€Å"Haggis’s Fable† 38), a fable carries with it the dangerous connotations of stereotype and oversimplification. The movie 300 stands as an heroic statement about the importance of protecting liberty and freedom. The ideological message that bravery and loyalty are essential aspects of preserving freedom and rather than Sparta, now â€Å"it is America that faces the threat from Persia† and by telling this story so forcefully and with so much passion the film embrace the â€Å"mythos of the battle rather than the historical truth of the era,† which is strongly conveyed in the film. (Behreandt). The ideological underpinnings of the movie 300 are based in a rightist, conservative set of political values that celebrate military capacity and force of strength. he films’ ideological message is one of social and civic duty as well as xenophobia. The film is geared toward an American audience in a time when America faces military challenges on several fronts and as such plays to the expectations of its audience. The tone of the film is heroic and its political ideology is conservative. The most logical conclusion that can be drawn from these facts is that, as mentioned by Giannetti, the ideological language of the film emerges as the most important aspect of the film as a whole. Further, the â€Å"code† that is used in the movie is comprised of historical truths and cultural stereotypes. The film blurs the line between entertainment and propaganda. It is accurate to suggest that the film, stripped of its propagandistic functions, would cease to exist. The unity of the film, in terms of narrative, editing, staging, costuming, scene construction and even music is derived more from a unity of ideology than from a unity of style or form. The movie follows a traditional fairy-tale arc of narrative to reinforce an already existing set of ideologies in its expected audience. Therefore, the best way in which to interpret the movie 300 is the method demonstrated by Giannetti that isolates and categorizes the ideological code of a film and makes the ideological language much more understandable for the average film-goer.